The #1 hotel in the world, along with another 20 on the list of the 50 Best Hotels in 2023, is in Europe.
18.09.2023 - 08:37 / nationalgeographic.com
Swap planes for trains and embark on adventures that are so much more than just a way to reach a destination. Whether it's multi-day journeys catching glimpses of waves crashing into cliffs or quick, scenic bursts of sparkling seas, these coastal train routes will make you appreciate life in the slow lane.
Christchurch to Picton, New Zealand
Setting off from Christchurch on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island, the Coastal Pacific train takes just over five hours to wind its way up towards the pretty little port town of Picton. Largely a sightseeing service, its carriages are fitted with panoramic side and roof windows so passengers can fully experience the slideshow of farmsteads, vineyards and windswept beaches. With an open-air viewing carriage, there’s opportunity for unrestricted photography, too.
It’s worth breaking up the journey at Blenheim’s vineyards or the town of Kaikōura, home to a population of sperm whales and one of the few places in the world where visitors are almost guaranteed to see their tails flipping out of teal-green water against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains.
How to do it: The train operates from 21 September-28 January (Thursday to Sunday), and 1 February-28 April (Monday to Sunday). A one-way ticket costs from NZ$177 (£83).
Mumbai to Madgaon, India
One of the greatest rail journeys on India’s vast network, the Mandovi Express departs the megacity of Mumbai at around 7am and canters down the Konkan coastline to Goa, the Arabian Sea twinkling on one side, the Sahyadri hills rising on the other. Home to a renowned pantry car, this service is a haven for those wanting to tuck into chicken lollipops, fresh samosas and deep-fried okra, while fellow passengers play cards and sing Bollywood hits, and chai vendors clank up the aisles with their vats of tea.
How to do it: The Mandovi Express departs daily from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, taking around 12 hours to reach Madgaon. A one-way ticket costs from £5.
(From Mumbai to Goa: a journey aboard The Mandovi Express.)
Cannes, France to Ventimiglia, Italy
A regular commuter service running multiple times a day, this double-decker hums out of Cannes, taking 90 minutes to run along the backs of terracotta-coloured villas and apartment blocks, allowing passengers a glimpse into the private affairs of the French Riviera’s residents. Dogs doze under seats, students scroll phones and retirees carry baguettes in paper bags, while palm-fringed curves of golden sand expand on the right, the Ligurian Sea sparkling in the sunshine as the train crosses the border into Italy.
In summer expect to see bronzed bodies dangling off pontoons, surfers paddling in the sea and bright pink bougainvillea tumbling down
The #1 hotel in the world, along with another 20 on the list of the 50 Best Hotels in 2023, is in Europe.
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Overlooking the English Channel is a small resort town bedecked with freestone facades and half-timbered houses. English is heard everywhere, from the Art Deco Westminster hotel to the lighthouse, which, on the occasion of the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, was lit up with Her Majesty's favourite colours. The bells of city hall chime in an echo of Big Ben, and it was just announced that the town's airport will soon be rechristened after Queen Elizabeth II.
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